The Thing That Means The World To Me
by xXxangel's.two.wolvesxXx
Summary: Followed By Pain Side Story: Jack is 15 and Kassandra is 14. After a month of hard work, the wooden ring Jack worked so hard to carve for his girlfriend is finished. Now he must get her father's permission. There is no turning back. This is the story of how Jack finally managed to propose to my OC Kassandra. JackXOC. ON HIATUS!
1. Chapter 1

**Hi! Angel here! Finally, I bothered to post the first chapter for the promised side story for Followed By Pain. You don't have to read this as a side story; it can be considered a standalone if you know who Kassandra is.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians.**

Jack's P.O.V.

It was all a long burst of impulse, from beginning to end. I don't really know how it all happened. A month ago, I began carving the ring I now have in my pocket. And now, I'm standing at the steps of the Aylett residence.  
No turning back now.  
The stars in the night sky twinkle as if they were wishing me luck. I nodded and swallowed.  
Grasping the metal knocker, I knocked on the door twice.  
"Good evening, Jackson," Mrs. Aylett greeting me at the door. "I assume you are here to see Kassandra?"  
"Good evening, Mrs. Aylett. Actually, not tonight," I said. "Is Mr. Aylett in at the moment?" I had to be as polite as possible. One mistake could be costly at this point.  
I really am making this sound like a soldier walking onto the battlefield, huh? Well, I figuratively am, so don't blame me.  
"Yes, he is," Mrs. Aylett took me to the parlor. "Please wait a moment."  
"Of course, ma'am," I bowed and sat down, still nervous.  
"Good evening, Jackson," Mr. Aylett said.  
"Good evening, Mr. Aylett," I replied, standing up and taking a quick bow before he gestured for me to sit.  
"I assume you are here to speak about my daughter," Mr. Aylett said as he took the seat across the table.  
"Yes, sir," I said.  
"Please elaborate, Jackson."  
"I wish to marry her."  
Mr. Aylett was shocked, but quickly gathered his composure. "I understand you love her, but I am sorry, Jackson, I will have to refuse that request."  
"I understand why you will feel that way, sir. I am the boy who wants to have fun all the time, but when it comes to Kassandra, I am extremely serious. Please, hear me out. Mr. Aylett, I have loved Kassandra since the day I met her. You must believe me when I say I am not joking around this time. Ever since the day I met her, there has never been anyone else. Sir, please allow me to propose to her. She will be loved and I give you my word I will never leave her."  
"I said I refuse. Nothing you say will change that."  
"Please, sir, at least consider it!"  
"I am sorry, Jackson."  
"Sir!"  
"Alyson! Please escort our guest out!" he yelled to his youngest daughter.  
"Yes, Father."  
I bowed to the man before following Alyson our of the house.  
When we reached the door, Aly whispered a few words to me. "Jack, please do not give up. I know Father would be hard to convince, but..."  
I cut the young redhead off. "I know. I'll keep on trying until he agrees."  
"Tomorrow evening?"  
"Yes. And every night from now."  
"Good. I will see you then."  
"Good night."  
"Good night."  
I walked down the dirt path and headed home.  
"So?" my sister, Elizabeth, asked when I got back to my house, even before I could say "I'm home!".  
"Nope," I said, before walking to my room.  
I flopped down on my bed, frustrated.  
But who the hell was I kidding? Of course Mr. Aylett would say no! I could never, no, would never, be serious about some things. Fun meant the world to me. So did Kassi.  
Burgess knew me as the boy who did not want to grow up.  
Sitting up in my bed, I decided to change that.  
xXxXx  
As the sun rose, I stumbled out of bed with the rest of my family. After quickly finishing breakfast, I went straight to work, doing some chores that required some muscle, like getting firewood.

Turns out, Kassi was doing the same job as I was.

We quietly worked together, which was unusual for the both of us. By now, I usually would have cracked a dumb joke and Kassi would swing a log at me so hard the next morning I would find a ugly purple spot.

Kassandra noticed after a while that I was acting different than I usually do.

"Jack! What's wrong with you today?!" Kassandra asked.  
"I'm fine," I said and walked away.  
"Oh no you are not," she growled, slapping me on the cheek.  
"Kassandra..." I gasped, flinching at the unexpected blow.  
"Jack, what's going on? You...you aren't acting like yourself!" she started crying. I dropped the logs immediately and tried to comfort her.  
"Kassi..."  
"Do not 'Kassi' me. Jack, just tell me."  
"Nothing's wrong."  
"Jack!"  
"I'm okay." I kissed the crying girl in my arms.  
"Don't lie to me. I know something's wrong."  
"I'm fine."  
She sighed, as if she was hoping to keep her next words a secret. "I know you were at my house last night. I also know why. If you're trying to change yourself because of that, you're an idiot. People like you as the stupid troublemaker who never gives a crap about things."  
"Kassi-" I tried to interrupt her, but she kept lecturing me.  
"Jack, I thought you knew...knew that we would never really be together."  
"Know and accept are different things."

"But…"

"Never mind that. But, you know your parents don't like the troublesome me."

"Just keep trying. As long as you don't change yourself, I'm okay with it."

"But Kassi-" Interrupted once again.

"Promise me."

"Fine."

"See you tonight, then."

"Yeah." We picked up our respective stacks of firewood and promptly left the woods.

Several hours later, I once again found myself standing at the door of the Aylett residence.

**That's all for now! Sorry if the spacing is weird, Word doesn't like me right now. Please review! Constructive criticism is appreciated. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi guys and gals! It's me, Angel!**

**This chapter is for Sailor Sacred Moon who literally made my inbox go boom by favorite-ing and following me, this story, and Followed By Pain. All within two minutes. Thank ya! You're awesome!**

**Review Responses: **

**animeorange94: Thank ya so much!**

**Ice Cream Kari: Yeah, sure is. It's really hard to write though, 'cuz Jack's serious side is only barely existent. Guess what the log swinging was based off of? I think you know. Clue: pencil case.**

**Disclaimer: I'm a girl. 'Nuff said. But I own the whole Aylett family.**

Jack's P.O.V.

"Good evening, Jackson," Mrs. Aylett greeted me. "I assume you are here for the same reason as last night."

"Yes, ma'am," I replied.

"Good luck," she nodded, showing me the way to the front parlor again. She promptly left the room to prepare tea.

"Husband! Jackson Overland is here to see you!" Mrs. Aylett yelled as she brought in a tray of tea and cookies.

"Oh, hey, Jack," Kassi said as she walked by on her way to her room.

"Good evening, Kassandra," I greeted.

"What's up?" she asked, sitting down next to me on the sofa.

"Oh, nothing much," I replied. "Just here to speak to your father." We agreed to keep up the act of Kassi not knowing why I'm here.

"Good evening, Jackson," Mr. Aylett greeted when he entered the fancily decorated room.

"Good evening, Mr. Aylett," I returned.

"Kassandra, I'm going to need you to leave," her father instructed.

"Yes, sir," she said sweetly, getting up off the ornate sofa as exiting the parlor quietly.

"I assume you are here for the same reasons as last night," Mr. Aylett said when Kassi was out of sight.

"Yes, sir," I replied.

"You sure are determined," the man sighed.

"Thank you, sir."

"It wasn't a compliment!" he snarled.

"Oh, sorry, sir."

"You should be. The answer is still no, and that won't change no matter how many times you come."

"May I ask why, sir?"

"You may not." I was a little bit taken aback by that, but nodded anyway.

"Show him out the door," Mr. Aylett said to his wife, who entered the room to check to see if everything was alright.

"Of course," she replied. I followed her out to the intricately carved wood door.

"I understand your reasons, but I also understand my husband's," she told me as I stepped out into the frigid mid-winter air. "Just please keep on trying. I'll have a word with him tonight."

"Yes, ma'am," I grumbled, discouraged. "Goodnight, Mrs. Aylett."

"Goodnight, Jack," she replied, shutting the door.

Kassandra's P.O.V.

Soon after Jack left, I reemerged from my room to find my father and mother arguing.

"John, I really think Jackson means what he says. We have to give him a chance!" Mother yelled.

"A chance?! Margret, you know there is no such thing as chances. If anything happens, Kassandra will be stuck in that marriage forever," Father replied.

"But I think Jack has proved himself enough."

"Margret. Be quiet. This is not a topic to be conversed about. My decision is final. Now LEAVE!"

"Yes, husband," Mother said.

Looks like there's no arguing against Father this time. I sighed and quickly went back to my room to enjoy a proper night's sleep.

**Short and sweet. This side story will be complete in two chapters. **

**Please review! I love reading them; they make me feel so happy, even if it's all harsh criticism or just one word (I'm very weird like that). **


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